Lew Wallace

Wallace, Lew (Lewis Wallace), 1827–1905, American novelist and diplomat, b. Brookville, Ind. He served in both the Mexican and Civil wars. After returning to his law practice in Indiana, he became governor of the Territory of New Mexico (1878–81) and minister to Turkey (1881–85). His famous book, Ben-Hur (1880), has been one of the best-selling novels in American publishing history and was made into several motion pictures. Among his other novels are The Fair God (1873), a story of the conquest of Mexico, and The Prince of India (1893).